Here at Kveller, we’re very invested in having your kids or grandkids engaged and entertained at the Passover seder (which is on the evening of April 1 this year, in case you haven’t added that to your calendar yet!). It’s why we published the Kveller Passover Haggadah for curious kids and have written countless articles about how to keep your kids entertained during the seder.
Now, I don’t believe you need to pull out any big guns or spend a ton of change on props to make Passover fun. You probably have everything you need at home already — a printer to print fun coloring sheets, paper bags to make plague puppets and a bunch of Passover books fit for the season (shout out to PJ Library!).
But if you’re entertaining the idea of adding some fun extras to keep kids from getting bored and cranky at the seder, here are some toys, books (maybe one for each kid, or a book basket for everyone to peruse?) and other items that will help make the Passover celebration more enjoyable for your younger guests. These can keep them entertained for the entire eight-day holiday, too.
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For your Passover book basket:
"It's Passover, Grover!"
For your little "Sesame Street" lover! It's also a sticker book, so will keep kids not yet reading extra busy!
Another lovely sticker book that's for a slightly older crowd.
Pippa always makes our Passovers more bright!
A lovely Passover book for interfaith families.
For the Pout-Pout fish fans! He does look pretty darling in a kippah.
A Passover's "Where's Waldo" — how fun!
If you've got a crowd of young scientific minds, this book even has some fun experiments you can do at the seder table.
"The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah" by by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Paul Meisel
A Passover take on the classic story of the little red hen that reminds us both the value of letting in guests to our Passover meal and how to truly be a good friend!
For your little history buffs (I know, hard to think of 2009 as history), this book tells the story of the first White House seder.
A really beautiful poetic tale about a kitten finding his home on Passover night.
"On All Other Nights"
Got a middle grade reader who loves spending some time alone with a book? Get them this book full of short stories from the best Jewish middle grade writers around!
Finally! A Passover book for the older kids at the table! A trippy and wondrous book from no other than Dara Horn ("People Love Dead Jews").
Games and Toys
10 Plague Puppets (Amazon)
We can't make this list without at least one set of plague puppets.
Check out Moshe and his puffy smiling matzah balls! I'm a grown person and still want to cuddle him all seder long.
Have you ever seen a more adorable seder plate?!
Your seder can always use more frog fidgets. Great for kids and hangry, impatient adults.
A more toddler-friendly version of the Kidrobot seder plate.
Make following along with the order of the seder a game with this really pretty placemat! Use code Kveller20 for 20% off!
A manicure station on seder night for the girlies? I kind of love the idea. Use code Kveller20 for 20% off!
This matzah sticker playhouse is really sturdy and does have the potential to keep your kids entertained for a big chunk of the seder.
Sometimes you just need to send your kids outside to play with a matzah ball and get those pre-seder shpilkes out.
Kidrobot is really killing it with these Passover plushies. I think these matzahs (while not anatomically accurate for the afikoman) may be the cutest of their offerings. Your kids can also hide them from each other all seder long if they find the actual afikoman early.
Sometimes all you need at seder are jumping frogs. As a bonus, you will really feel what the ancient Egyptians felt when 100+ leaping frog toys invade your house.
You can definitely make your own sensory bin with some kinetic sand and figurines, but if you want to level up, this one from OutoftheSensorybin is really impressive.
For those kids who'd rather be playing board games on the floor.
The best two minutes of the seder for most kids (and adults!) will be spraying grape juice all over these plague dippin' dabbers.
A nice wooden puzzle for the smaller seder guests.
This is only for the brave of heart or if you're having a seder outside, but Sloomoo does have incredible Jewish holiday themed slime.
The best themed seder fidget toy you'll find.
These learning wheels help remind your young seder guests what every symbolic item on the seder plate is all about.
Get your kid to retell the entire Passover story through this pun-loving puppet.
Crafts
One more set of finger puppets for crafty kids!
Adorable figurines all your little guest will be excited to take home after seder.
You can never go wrong with the classics (coloring pages are the classics, of course). These ones seem to get all the Passover details right!
Passover Crayons (Etsy)
Giving kids a bunch of crayons and paper may be all you need, and these ones will add an extra layer of meaning and fun to your kids' table.
Keep the entire kids' table busy with this plentiful activity kit.
An activity box that has everything, from a light to help your kids look for hametz to a DIY afikoman bag, a special haggadah for kids and even a Chad Gadya "TV."
My kids love scratch art kits and I love seeing them quiet and focused while they work on them. A win-win for all.
Accessories:
Sometimes the seder just needs more party hats.
